Platforms support systems for use in transporters

Abstract

 A platform support system comprising a support pawl and an actuation system operable in response to an input received from a user to move the support pawl between a supporting position and a non-supporting position when the support pawl is not in use supporting a platform, wherein a platform is arrangeable with the support pawl so as to be supported by the support pawl when in the supporting position, and wherein operation of the actuation system in response to a user input leaves the support pawl in a supporting position when the support pawl is in use supporting a platform. The support pawl may also be mounted to enable a platform to move past the support pawl in a first direction by displacing the support pawl from a supporting position, the support pawl mounted to inhibit movement of the platform past the support pawl in a second direction when the support pawl is arranged in a supporting position.

Description

Field to the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to platform support systems for use in transporters, transporters comprising platform support systems and especially, but not limited to, platform support systems for use in livestock transporters and transporters for use in transporting livestock.

Background to the Invention

[0002] Trailers and other transporters for use in transporting livestock generally comprise a number of levels each level having a platform to support the livestock. Such transporters enable livestock to be transported economically and efficiently. Transporters for transporting livestock may comprise an integrated cab plus transport area or comprise a trailer forming a livestock area to be towed behind a tractor unit.

[0003] The transport area may have at least one platform which is vertically moveable in order for the height of the level to be adjusted according to the type of goods being transported. In livestock transporters, the height of the level will be dependent upon the type of livestock being transported. For example, a level supporting cattle will require a greater height than a level supporting poultry or sheep or pigs. Accordingly, it is advantageous for a transporter to have a platform which can move vertically in order for the transporter to transport different goods efficiently and economically.

[0004] However, producing a safe and efficient way of positioning and securing the platforms in the transporter is not straightforward, in particular in livestock transporters where cleaning requirements are important, where there are potentially multiple platforms above one another and when the vertical separation between platforms is potentially small.

[0005] It is an aim of the present invention to address at least one problem associated with the prior art, whether referred to herein or otherwise.

Summary of the Invention

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a platform support system comprising a support pawl and an actuation system operable in response to an input received from a user to move the support pawl between a supporting position and a non-supporting position when the support pawl is not in use supporting a platform, wherein a platform is arrangeable with the support pawl so as to be supported by the support pawl when in the supporting position, and wherein operation of the actuation system in response to a user input leaves the support pawl in a supporting position when the support pawl is in use supporting a platform.

[0007] Suitably, the actuation system is coupled to the support pawl using a linkage including an elastically flexible element. Suitably, operation of the actuation system in response to a user input flexes, preferably extends the elastically flexible element to leave the support pawl in a supporting position when the support pawl is in use supporting a platform.

[0008] Suitably, the support pawl is mounted to enable the platform to move freely there-past when in the non-supporting position. Suitably, the support pawl is mounted to enable the platform to move freely there-past in a first direction when in the supporting position. Suitably, the support pawl is mounted to prevent the platform from moving there-past in a second direction when in the supporting position. Suitably, the second direction is parallel to, but of opposite sense to the first direction.

[0009] Suitably, the support pawl is manually moveable between supporting and non-supporting positions in the event of actuation system failure. Suitably, the platform support system further comprises a locking pin for the support pawl arrangeable to lock the support pawl in the non-supporting position irrespective of the operation or actuation system.

[0010] Suitably, the actuation system comprises a linear actuator, for example an electromagnetic, pneumatic or hydraulic actuator. Suitably, the actuation system is coupled to the support pawl to produce rotation of the support pawl between the supporting position and the non-supporting position. Suitably, the actuation system is coupled to the support pawl to produce rotation of the support pawl between the non-supporting position and the supporting position.

[0011] Suitably, the actuation system is mounted in a housing, and the support pawl is arranged to protrude from the housing through an aperture defined therein when arranged in the supporting position. Suitably, the actuation system is coupled to a blanking means, arranged to cover the aperture defined in the housing when the support pawl is arranged in the supporting position. Suitably, the blanking means comprises a seal to seal the housing against ingress of fluids when the aperture is covered by the blanking means. Suitably, the blanking means comprises a seal to seal the housing against ingress of water when the aperture is covered by the blanking means. Suitably, the blanking means is an extension from the support pawl. Suitably the blanking means is arranged to move as one with the support pawl. Suitably, the blanking means is formed integrally with the support pawl. Suitably, the blanking means is a load bearing component arranged to prevent rotation of the support pawl beyond the supporting position when the support pawl is moved from the non-supporting position to the supporting position.

[0012] Suitably, the platform support system comprises a plurality of support pawls as described above. Suitably, the actuation system is operable to move a plurality of support pawls in response to a single input received from a user.

[0013] Suitably, the platform support system comprises a first support pawl or first plurality of support pawls as described above coupled to a first actuation system, and a second support pawl or second plurality of support pawls as described above coupled to a second actuation system. Suitably, the first and second actuation systems are linked so as to operate together in response to a single input received from a user. In other embodiments support pawls may be linked to a plurality of actuation systems and operable independently in response to independent inputs received from a user.

[0014] Suitably, the platform support system further comprises one or more platforms. Suitably, the platform support system further comprises a platform moving system operable in response to a user input to move one or more platforms in a first and/or a second direction.

[0015] Suitably, the platform support system further comprises one or more support pawl position sensors arranged to indicate the position of the support pawls. Suitably, the support pawl position sensors are arranged to indicate that the support pawls are arranged in the supporting position. Suitably, the support pawl position sensors are arranged to indicate that the support pawls are in the non-supporting position. Suitably, the support pawl position sensors are arranged to indicate that the support pawls are not in the supporting position. Suitably, the support pawl position sensors are arranged to indicate that the support pawls are not in the non-supporting position. Suitably, the support pawl position sensors are operatively coupled to the platform support system. Suitably, the platform support system is wholly or partially deactivated when the support pawl position sensors indicate that the support pawls are not in the supporting position. Suitably, the platform support system is arranged to prevent movement of a platform in a downward direction when the support pawl position sensors indicate that the support pawls are not in the supporting position.

[0016] According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a platform support system for use in a transporter, the platform support system comprising a support pawl mounted to enable a platform to move past the support pawl in a first direction by displacing the support pawl from a supporting position, the support pawl mounted to inhibit movement of the platform past the support pawl in a second direction when the support pawl is arranged in a supporting position.

[0017] Suitably, the support pawl is substantially as described in relation to the first aspect of the invention. Suitably, the platform support system further comprises an actuation system or systems, a linkage or linkages, a platform or platforms, a locking pin or locking pins and blanking means as described in relation to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0018] According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a transporter comprising a platform support system of the first or second aspect of the present invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the following drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a platform support system according to a first example embodiment of the present invention arranged with support pawls in a non-supporting position;

Figure 2 is a side view of a platform support system of Figure 1 arranged with support pawls in a supporting position;

Figure 3 is a side view of a platform support system of Figure 1 with a support pawl arranged in a support position and supporting a platform;

Figure 4 is perspective view of the platform support system of Figure 1 from the side, front and above; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a transporter according to an example embodiment of the present invention, from the side, front and above and with a side structure thereof removed to enable a platform support system thereof of the transporter to be seen.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

[0020] Typically a transporter for use in transporting livestock comprises a plurality of levels. Each level has a platform for supporting the livestock thereon, with the height of each level selected dependent upon the type of livestock being transported. Accordingly, it is advantageous for each platform to movable between various support positions in which the vertical position of each platform is adapted to different types of livestock. However, the provision of multiple levels and platforms makes it difficult to efficiently enable movement and support of the platforms.

[0021] As shown in Figures 1 through 3, a platform support system 1 comprises support pawls 10 and an actuation system 20. The actuation system 20 includes an actuator 22, and is operable in response to an input received from a user, for example an input corresponding to operation of a switch on a user control panel (not shown). The actuation system 20 further comprises a linkage between the actuator 22 and to the support pawls 10 such that operation of the actuator 22 can move the support pawls 10 between a supporting position as shown in Figure 2 and a non-supporting position as shown in Figure 1. In both of these Figures the support pawls 10 are not in use supporting a platform. Figure 3 shows a platform 30 arranged with a support pawl 10A so as to be supported by the support pawl 10A in the supporting position. Operation of the actuation system 30 in response to a user input when a platform 30 is supported by the support pawl 10A leaves the support pawl 10A in a supporting position. In this way safe support of the platform 30 is achieved. Furthermore, when the support pawls 10 are used in combination with one another to support one of a range of number of platforms 30 or one or more platforms 30 in one of a range of support positions, example embodiments of the present invention enable convenient and safe positioning and support of the platforms, as will be appreciated from the further description given below.

[0022] Figure 5 shows a transporter 2 according to an example embodiment of the present invention with a side structure thereof removed to enable a platform support system and platforms thereof to be seen. The transporter 2 includes a plurality of platforms 30, and actuation system 20 and a plurality of support pawls 10. The platforms 30 are moveable in a first, vertically upward direction, and a second, vertically downward direction, with movement thereof being effected by a platform moving system (not shown). The platform moving system conveniently may comprise a hydraulic ram linked to a platform using cables. The platform moving system is arranged to move the platforms, and to drop them off onto the support pawls 10 for support in a desired configuration. The support pawls 10 are mounted in groups at each support level, each group associated with a support position and arranged to engage and optionally support platforms close to corner regions thereof. There the support pawls 10 are mounted in groups of four support pawls 10, with four groups of support pawls provided in each vertical movement range of the platforms 30 to give the option of supporting a platform at one of four levels.

[0023] The support pawls 10 are mounted to enable associated platforms 30 to move past the support pawls 10 in the first direction by displacing the support pawls 10 from the supporting position, whereas the support pawls 10 are mounted to inhibit movement of the associated platforms 30 past the support pawls 10 in the second direction when the support pawls 10 are arranged in a supporting position. When the support pawls 10 are arranged in a non-supporting position the platforms 30 are moveable freely past the support pawls 10 in both first and second directions.

[0024] To enable the platforms 30 to move past the support pawls 10 by displacing them from the supporting position 10, the actuation system 30 is coupled to the support pawl using a linkage including an elastically flexible element 24. The elastically flexible element shown in Figures 1 through 3 is in the form of a coil spring. When a support pawl 10 is in use supporting a platform 30, operation of the actuation system 20 in response to a user input requesting the pawls 10 are moved by the actuation system 20 to the non-supporting position causes pawls that are in use supporting a platform 30, such as pawl 10A in Figure 3, to remain in position. For such pawls movement of the actuation system is taken up by elastic deformation of the associated flexible element 24. As shown in Figure 3, although the pawl 10A remains in the supporting position despite operation of the actuation system 20, pawls that are not involved in supporting a platform 30 are moveable by the actuation system 20 freely between the supporting and non-supporting positions. For example, in Figure 3 the pawl 10A remains in the supporting position while the pawls 10B have been moved by the actuation system 20 to the non-supporting position.

[0025] The actuation system 20 comprises a plurality of actuators 22, which may suitably comprise electromagnetic linear actuators. Linear motion produced by each actuator 22 drives a linear coupling bar 26 that that is mounted in linear bearings 27. The elastically flexible elements 24 transfer the linear motion of the coupling bar 26 to the support pawls 10 by pulling the support pawls 10 in a rotary fashion about mounting pivots 28. The mounting pivots 28 are arranged to carry the load from the platforms 30 from the support pawls 10 to a support structure on which the platform support system is mounted.

[0026] The actuation system 20 is mounted in a housing 40 with the support pawls 10 arranged to protrude from the housing 40 through apertures 42 defined therein when arranged in the supporting position. With the support pawls 10 arranged in the supporting position blanking means 44 seal the housing 40 against ingress of water and other fluids. This is important in cases there environment in which the support system is used is subjected to washing, or other occasional planned application of fluids. The embodiment shown in the Figures includes blanking means 44 that form a load bearing stop arranged to prevent rotation of the support pawls beyond the supporting position when the support pawl is moved from the non-supporting position to the supporting position, and to prevent rotation beyond the supporting position in response to load applied to the support pawls 10 by a platform 30.

[0027] In the embodiment shown in the Figures, the platform support system comprises a plurality of support pawls as described above, with the actuation system operable to move linkages coupled to all of the plurality of support pawls in response to a single input received from a user. In this way operation of the platform support system is simplified for the user, but without compromising the effectiveness or safety of the support provided to the platforms. However, in other embodiments only one support pawl may be provided, with the platform arranged to rotate past the support pawl rather than perform a purely translational movement. Equally, in other embodiments a first plurality of support pawls as described above may be coupled to a first actuation system, and a second support pawl or second plurality of support pawls as described above coupled to a second independent actuation system. As an additional measure, some or all of the support pawls may be manually moveable between supporting and non-supporting positions, to enable platforms to be moved in the event of actuation system failure. Each support pawl of this nature may further comprise a locking pin arrangeable to lock the support pawl in the non-supporting position irrespective of the operation or actuation system. As a further precaution, one or more of the support pawls, for example all of the support pawls may be fitted with a pawl position sensor able to indicate the position of the support pawl. The support pawl positions indicated by the pawl position sensor(s) may be made visible to a user for consideration in the user's operation of the actuation system and/or the platform moving system. In other embodiments the support pawl position sensors may be coupled to an override controller that selectively allows or inhibits operation of the platform moving system according to the position of the support pawls as indicated by the pawl position sensors. In such an embodiment, the platform support system may be inhibited from moving one or more platforms in a first, or second direction, for example the direction of bringing the platforms into engagement with the support pawls if the support pawl position sensors do not indicate that the support pawls are arranged in the supporting position. The platforms in such embodiments may only be moved down onto the support pawls when the pawls position sensors indicate that the support pawls are correctly located in the supporting position.

[0028] As described above, the platform support system enables effective support to be provided in a safe and readily controllable manner.

[0029] The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0030] All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

[0031] Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

[0032] The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extend to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A platform support system comprising a support pawl and an actuation system operable in response to an input received from a user to move the support pawl between a supporting position and a non-supporting position when the support pawl is not in use supporting a platform, wherein a platform is arrangeable with the support pawl so as to be supported by the support pawl when in the supporting position, and wherein operation of the actuation system in response to a user input leaves the support pawl in a supporting position when the support pawl is in use supporting a platform.

2. A platform support system according to claim 1, wherein the actuation system is coupled to the support pawl using a linkage including an elastically flexible element.

3. A platform support system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein operation of the actuation system in response to a user input extends the elastically flexible element to leave the support pawl in a supporting position when the support pawl is in use supporting a platform.

4. A platform support system according to any preceding claim, wherein the support pawl is mounted to enable the platform to move freely there-past when in the non-supporting position, and is mounted to enable the platform to move freely there-past in a first direction when in the supporting position.

5. A platform support system according to claim 4, wherein the support pawl is mounted to prevent the platform from moving there-past in a second direction when in the supporting position.

6. A platform support system according to any preceding claim, wherein the support pawl is manually moveable between supporting and non-supporting positions in the event of actuation system failure and further comprising a locking pin for the support pawl, arrangeable to lock the support pawl in the non-supporting position irrespective of the operation or actuation system.

7. A platform support system according to any preceding claim, wherein the actuation system is coupled to the support pawl to produce rotation of the support pawl between the supporting position and the non-supporting position and between the non-supporting position and the supporting position.

8. A platform support system according to any preceding claim, wherein the actuation system is mounted in a housing, and the support pawl is arranged to protrude from the housing through an aperture defined therein when arranged in the supporting position.

9. A platform support system according to claim 8, wherein the actuation system is coupled to a blanking means, arranged to cover, and optionally seal, the aperture defined in the housing when the support pawl is arranged in the supporting position.

10. A platform support system according to any one of claims 8 or 9, wherein the blanking means is a load bearing component arranged to prevent rotation of the support pawl beyond the supporting position when the support pawl is moved from the non-supporting position to the supporting position.

11. A platform support system according to any preceding claim, comprising a plurality of support pawls as described above in claims 1 to 10, and wherein the actuation system is operable to move a plurality of support pawls in response to a single input received from a user.

12. A platform support system according to any preceding claim, comprising a platform moving system operable in response to a user input to move one or more platforms in a first and/or a second direction.

13. A platform support system according to any preceding claim, comprising one or more support pawl position sensors arranged to indicate the position of the support pawls, in particular to indicate: (a) that the support pawls are arranged in the supporting position; and/or (b) that the support pawls are in the non-supporting position; and/or (c) that the support pawls are not in the supporting position; and/or (d) that the support pawls are not in the non-supporting position.

14. A platform support system according to claim 13 wherein the support pawl position sensors are operatively coupled to the platform support system and wherein the platform support system is wholly or partially deactivated when the support pawl position sensors indicate that the support pawls are not in the supporting position.

15. A platform support system according to claim 14, arranged to prevent movement of a platform in a downward direction when the support pawl position sensors indicate that the support pawls are not in the supporting position.

Drawing